Screams
by Dylan S. Thompson
Summary: "Every few seconds I blink. This action I am reluctant to do because every time I do, I hear screams." Sequel to Sunshine


Disclaimer: Not mine  
  
A/N: I'm worried that this might be a little confusing. I tried to interweave three different settings into the same story, but I think I failed horribly. Anyways, this is a sequel to Sunshine, which you should probably read before reading this.  
  
Headmaster Dumbledore stares down at me kindly. I'm wrapped in a heavy, brown woolen blanket, and I am holding a cup of steaming hot tea.  
  
Every few seconds I blink. This action I am reluctant to do because every time I do, I hear screams. I don't cry though. All my tears have been used already.  
  
Dumbledore doesn't talk. He knows that, while he is a kind and great wizard, nothing he can say will make anything better.  
  
When they first came, Gran acted like a helpless old woman.  
  
I hid when I heard them. Gran told me exactly what to do if we were ever attacked. Gran, looking at me with hard, grey eyes saying firmly, "If what you told me about this year's year-end feast is true, then we must be prepared!"  
  
Later, when they saw past her helpless old woman act, she fought back.  
  
For a few minutes, the only sounds I heard was Gran screaming curses and the Death Eaters screaming in agony. But, in the end, there were just too many of them. They subdued her, but didn't finish her off. That task was saved for the Dark Lord himself.  
  
Gran was an auror, like my parents. And she was one of the best ever.  
  
While she chatted with You-Know-Who, I was in a completely hidden solid-steel room. She was supposed to be in here with me!  
  
"If I'm going down," she said to me once, "then I'm going to take as many of those evil bastards down with me!"  
  
The Dark Lord cackled and said evilly, "If it isn't Eudora Longbottom. Fancy seeing you here."  
  
Gran regarded the tall man without a trace of fear and nodded, "Tommy Riddle," she said scathingly, "it's been awhile."  
  
The man's eyes harden and he hisses, "My name is not Tommy, nor is it Riddle! I am Lord Voldemort, and you will treat me with respect!"  
  
Gran leads me to her bedroom, which I'm normally not allowed in. She walks to her huge mirror, which is taller than her, and says to me, "If we're ever in danger, this is your only salvation." I wonder silently how a mirror will be my salvation, but I don't say anything for fear of sounding stupid. Soon, she continues, "This mirror is not only a mirror. It is also a portal to the safe-room of this house. All you need to do is say the password, and step through."  
  
Gran smirked at You-Know-Who, "Whatever you say, Tommy."  
  
'Tommy' let out a furious shriek and pulled his wand and pointed it at Gran. "Eudora Longbottom! If you refer to me as Tommy once more, I will put you through so much pain you'll beg for death!"  
  
Gran closed her eyes and shook her head. When she spoke next her voice was sad, "You and I both know that no matter what I do, that will happen to me. The only way I will get out of the torture and death is if I pledge to join your side...which I will never do."  
  
"What's the password?" I ask Gran curiously. She looks at me with humor in her eyes and says:  
  
"The password is 'Tommy's Coming'" She says the password again, clearer and louder this time, and motions for me to enter. Hesitantly I step through the portal.  
  
The room is cold and sterile. All the walls besides the entrance are solid steel-cold and grey. The floor and ceiling are also made of steel. The three walls are completely barren. The only furniture in the room is two wooden chairs. "There is a charm on this room that enables whoever is here to hear whatever is said in the rest of the house. This way maybe we will overhear some secret Death Eater plans." Gran says when she enters behind me. "This room is impossible to penetrate. The only way to enter is to step through the mirror, and only three people in this world know the password to get through. If Voldemort attacks this house, then we'll come in here and be completely safe."  
  
I cringe when she says You-Know-Who's name, but I try not to show it. "Who's the other person who knows the password?" I ask, trying to cover up my cringe.  
  
"Dumbledore," she replies simply.  
  
Gran regarded 'Tommy' in disgust. "You're pathetic. You spend half your life corrupting your soul with darkness, but you're constantly upstaged and defeated by a child. You may have come back to power, but I'm as confident that you'll be defeated as I was the first time. You may have killed my son and his wife, and you may kill me, but I promise you that a Longbottom will play a hand in your defeat. And he'll live to dance on your grave. I promise you that...Tommy."  
  
After that, Gran started screaming in pain.  
  
Alone in the safe room I cover my ears and scream, trying to block out the screams of agony that seemingly come from the very walls, but somehow they still get through. After awhile, I don't know how long, I start to sob in fear and anger and misery. After Gran's screams stop, I hear the Death Eaters tear the house apart looking, presumably, for me. They leave eventually, but even when they're gone I'm afraid to leave.  
  
Sometime during the ordeal, I had curled into a fetal position in the middle of the room, and I stay in that position until Headmaster Dumbledore retrieves me a day later. I don't utter a single word as he magicks a stretcher to put me on, and takes me away from the heap of rubble that used to be the home I grew up in. After that I sort of faded in and out of consciousness. I ended up at Hogwarts, but I'm not sure how.  
  
Dumbledore stares down at me warmly and kindly. He has wrapped a think, woolen blanket around me and brewed me a cup of tea. Every few seconds I blink. Suddenly I look up at him and speak for the first time since he found me. I ask, "Where will I stay?"  
  
The Headmaster clears his throat and says, "Your grandmother did not appoint a guardian; so it is up to you. She left you her entire fortune, so, realistically, you could live by yourself."  
  
I nod silently and lower my eyes again. Right now I don't feel like talking, and Dumbledore understands this. However, he continues talking. "However, I must insist that you stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer. It is much safer here." Dumbledore sighs and pauses. "Before I let you retire to your room, I must ask you something. Have you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?" I nod. It was a group during the last war with the Dark Lord that was committed to his downfall. Gran was a member.  
  
"I want you to be a member."  
  
My head snaps up and I stare at the headmaster in shock. If I could I would exclaim, "WHAT?!", but I am too shocked to do anything but stare stupidly. Seeing my shocked expression, Dumbledore laughs warmly and says, "I'll give you some time to think about it, of course. Meanwhile, you need some rest. Your room will be the fifth year boy's dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower, which I'm sure you'll be able to locate by yourself."  
  
I nod again and stand up. For a second I don't know what to do, but finally I offer him my hand. He shakes it and says, "All your belongings that survived the attack will be waiting for you."  
  
"Thank you, sir." I say in reply, "Thank you for everything."  
  
"You are very welcome, Mr. Longbottom." Dumbledore replies, "Now, get some rest."  
  
I not and leave, even though I know I won't get a wink of sleep tonight. When I get to my room I see all my things stacked at the end of a bed, which I take e to be mine. On top of everything, there's a small cage containing a large toad.  
  
"Trevor!" I cry in happiness I wasn't sure I was capable of anymore. I rush over to the stack, extract Trevor from his cage, and hug him close to my chest. I cry tears even though I was sure I had none left. I had been certain that he had been lost...like Gran.  
  
The tears of happiness at finding Trevor alive and well soon turn to wracking sobs of grief. I think of all the times I said I hated her, all the times I called her a bitch...and all she ever did was try to get me to do my best! She had cared for me since infancy, and I showed her nothing but ungratefulness. I never even got to tell her I loved her!  
  
And my punishment for that is that I have to remember every second of her death; every cry, every scream, every wail, everything! Every time I close my eyes, I hear her screams. I remember every second of her death, and I will remember for the rest of my life.  
  
I forget so many things...why can't I forget this?


End file.
